Irish Anarchist Group Workers's Solidarity Movement to Disband - Breaking

[Idris2002]

Well this news broke earlier today, but it's still a story torn from today's headlines:

 

[NoXion]

The reasons for this seem to be a bit vague.

 

[Idris2002]

The reasons for this seem to be a bit vague.

My guess is the advance of middle age.

 

[splonkydoo]

My guess is the advance of middle age.

It would surprise me if there was more than 5 people left also.

 

[Boru]

I always loved the spoken intro to this paranoid visions song.. newtownism

 

[krink]

Ah man that's a shame, they have put out some excellent stuff over the years and had a very decent sized following on Facebook and the like.

 

[Serge Forward]

Sad news. Despite my disagreement with some of their positions, I think this is a real shame. End of an era.

 

[danny la rouge]

Yes, sad news.

 

[LDC]

Is there some background to this beyond a slowly decreasing relevance and numbers of people interested? From a geographically and politically detached position they've always seemed pretty sound and active?

 

[hitmouse]

Yeah, will be interested to see if they, or rather the ex-members, put out more detailed reflections on what happened at some point. Does Flood still write much? I remember his stuff as usually being worth reading, but now I look him up, seems like his last post on what I think of as his blog was December 2019.

If anyone can't wait, and wants to dive into stuff about the history of the WSM and its debates now, here's one starting point:

Anarchism, Ireland and the WSM

The current crisis in Irish society has taken many of us by surprise. The scale of the social and economic reversal is one thing, but the manner in which the establishment has turned what was an u…

kfdoyle.wordpress.com

 

[flypanam]

He has been prolific during covid, writing and doing something called the plague tapes.

It’s very sad to see the wsm disbanded, when I was in Dublin I didn’t always agree with them eg grassroots gathering but they were fucking audacious in ways the Trotskyist left were not (I speak from experience) their garden of delight was awesome and their work around countering SPUC and advocating for choice was outstanding.

I wonder if Gregor is still around?

 

[hitmouse]

Apparently the Irish Left Archive podcast did an interview with a WSMer a few weeks back:

#31: Aileen O'Carroll: Workers Solidarity Movement

Episode 31 of the Irish Left Archive Podcast.

www.leftarchive.ie

Not listened to it so I dunno if it contains much along the lines of "btw we're going to dissolve in a few weeks." Wee bit of discussion in the comments here:

WSM to disband

The Workers Solidarity Movement has taken the decision to disband the organisation some 37 years after it formed. While we recognise the WSM’s many achievements over the years and while we are each…

cedarlounge.wordpress.com

 

[The39thStep]

For an anarchist group they were good

 

[splonkydoo]

He has been prolific during covid, writing and doing something called the plague tapes.

It’s very sad to see the wsm disbanded, when I was in Dublin I didn’t always agree with them eg grassroots gathering but they were fucking audacious in ways the Trotskyist left were not (I speak from experience) their garden of delight was awesome and their work around countering SPUC and advocating for choice was outstanding.

I wonder if Gregor is still around?

Gregor is still around. Most recently he put in a strong campaign for the INTO presidentency elections with over 9,000 votes.

 

[flypanam]

9000 out of 41k members is pretty impressive.

 

[Dom Traynor]

Definitely the best anarchist group in those islands off the West of Europe in their time. Put PDFs up on their site well before other groups I could name.

 

[Aladdin]

Speaking of Gregor.....

Gregor Kerr

Gregor Kerr

theanarchistlibrary.org

 

[hitmouse]

Not much new here, but adds "Former members of the group will be working their own retrospectives over the course of this winter, with a great deal more still to be written about it": Ireland: A farewell to the Workers Solidarity Movement

 

[charlie mowbray]

Definitely the best anarchist group in those islands off the West of Europe in their time. Put PDFs up on their site well before other groups I could name.

Twat!

 

[Dom Traynor]

Twat!

 

[charlie mowbray]

Whatever...

 

[hitmouse]

The new newsletter from Organise has a brief note on it:

Black Star - Organise Anarchists Ireland

Black Star is our monthly Northern online and print anarchist news sheet that aims to provide irreverent, class struggle and revolutionary news from the wee north and beyond. Written by members of Organise! in the north the focus is unashamedly working-class, local and global. Current issue...

organiseanarchistsireland.com

 

[Kate Sharpley]

The (ex-)WSM comrades have published their thoughtful 'Closing statement':
http://www.wsm.ie/c/workers-solidarity-movement-closing-statement
Contents:
Introduction.
Campaigns, organisations & unions WSM was involved in.
Publications.
Accomplishments.
Reasons for dissolving.
Wider Challenges.
Lessons Learned.

 

[Dom Traynor]

Excellent reflection and yet more evidence of their sagacity.

 

[Fallon]

Not to go off topic but would love to see the IWCA do something similar to this analysis.

 

[LDC]

The Class War dissolution statement/paper was an excellent reflection as well. Had a big impact on me as a youngster. There's probably a better version online somewhere but on a quick look there's this:

Class War #73 1997

The text of Class War newspaper issue number 73 from 1997, intending to be the last issue explaining why most of the organisation decided to dissolve itself.

libcom.org

 

[Fallon]

Just read it there. I really like this level of honesty.

If I read it as a youngster I would have completely dismissed the 'State of the Left' article but with older eyes I can see some very relevant points.

 

[Boru]

The Dublin Anarchist Bookfair takes place this coming Saturday 20 May, 2023 at the Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

Dublin Anarchist Bookfair

The Dublin Anarchist Bookfair takes place on Saturday 20 May 2023 at the Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. The bookfair will be set up in a large room in which you can browse radical book…

irishanarchistnetwork.ie

 

[Pickman's model]

The Dublin Anarchist Bookfair takes place this coming Saturday 20 May, 2023 at the Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

Dublin Anarchist Bookfair

The Dublin Anarchist Bookfair takes place on Saturday 20 May 2023 at the Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. The bookfair will be set up in a large room in which you can browse radical book…

irishanarchistnetwork.ie

For those who haven't been there before there's a nice bar upstairs

 

[A380]

The Dublin Anarchist Bookfair takes place this coming Saturday 20 May, 2023 at the Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

Dublin Anarchist Bookfair

The Dublin Anarchist Bookfair takes place on Saturday 20 May 2023 at the Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. The bookfair will be set up in a large room in which you can browse radical book…

irishanarchistnetwork.ie

Who’s got stalls?